The Spirit Glass

by Roshani Chokshi

Overview

Notes From Your Bookseller

Infused with Filipino lore, The Spirit Glass is a standalone magical adventure from Roshani Chokshi, author of the fan-favorite Aru Shah series. Pulse-pounding action coupled with a richly imaged fantastical world and a fierce protagonist make this a true standout.

Corazon yearns to finally start training as a babaylan (a mystical healer and spirit guide) under her powerful guardian, Aunt Tina. As soon as her magic awakens, Corazon plans to bring her parents back from the dead and no longer have to rely on a soul key to allow visits with their ghosts for a few hours every Saturday night. But when a vengeful ghost steals Corazon's precious key, the fragile balance between the human world and the spirit world is thrown out of whack. Aunt Tina reveals that if Corazon wants her magic to awaken, then she just lay the ghost to rest by fashioning a new soul key. With her rather bloodthirsty gecko companion, Saso, Corazon embarks on a quest through the spirit realms. But they must move quickly, for if the ghost gets through the spirit glass, all hope will be lost. Roshani Chokshi pays tribute to her Filipino heritage in this book that has all the magic, sparkle, and heart that made her Aru Shah series a fantasy classic.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781368093453
Publisher:	Disney Press
Publication date:	09/05/2023
Sold by:	DISNEY PUBLISHING WORLDWIDE -EBKS
Format:	eBook
Sales rank:	288,660
File size:	10 MB
Age Range:	8 - 12 Years

About the Author

Roshani Chokshi (she/her) is the author of the instant New York Times best-selling Pandava quintet inspired by the Hindu stories she learned from her paternal grandmother. The first book in the series, Aru Shah and the End of Time, was named one of the 100 Best Fantasy Books of All Time by Time magazine. Rosh also wrote the New York Times best-selling Star-Touched and Gilded Wolves series for YA readers, and The Last Tale of the Flower Bride for adults. One of her motivations for writing The Spirit Glass was to honor her Filipino heritage on her mother’s side. She lives in Georgia. Follow her adventures on Instagram @roshanichokshi.

Editorial Reviews

★ 07/10/2023

Featuring a Filipina protagonist coming into her powers, Chokshi (the Aru Shah series) writes a memorable spin on a tween’s looking-glass adventures. Three years after her parents’ deaths, 11-year-old Corazon Lopez lives with her magically powerful but emotionally distant aunt Tina in a wondrous House “that tucked her in each evening and made sure she always had a sweater when it got cold.” Like the women in their family, both Corazon and Tina are babaylans—mortals who guard the boundaries between the human and spirit worlds—but two days before her magic-manifesting 12th birthday, Corazon’s specific power remains unknown even to her. She waits impatiently on the cusp with her wisecracking companion anito, an earth spirit named Saso who resembles a blue lizard, and a soul key that allows her to visit with her parents’ ghosts each Saturday. She plans to bring them back to life once she gains, and trains in, her powers, but when Corazon and Tina travel through the Library of Mirrors en route to the spirit realms’ marketplace, a figure pursues Corazon and steals the soul key, and Corazon must work to put the worlds-threatening specter to rest. Filipino folklore and a smart magical system of “bargains and balances” thread this wholly original narrative, which employs laugh-out-loud humor, sensory-forward prose, and deliciously dark threats to explore personal identity and tweenhood. Ages 8–12. Agent: Thao Le, Sandra Dijkstra Literary. (Sept.)

Publishers Weekly

Praise for The Spirit Glass

"Roshani writes with the kind of electrifying wonder and sweeping grace that only she can! You will fall in love with Corazon and Saso."
   —Kelly Yang #1 New York Times best-selling and award-winning author of the Front Desk series and New From Here

Praise for Aru Shah and the End of Time

* "In her middle-grade debut, Chokshi spins a fantastical narrative that seamlessly intertwines Hindu cosmology and folklore, feminism, and witty dialogue for an uproarious novel for young readers. Chokshi comes into her own in this novel, reminding readers of the power of language and of stories."
   —Kirkus (starred review)

* "This series kick-off . . . also the first book from the Rick Riordan Presents imprint, expertly channels the humor and action that have made Riordan's own work so successful. Aru commands the spotlight . . . and Chokshi weaves an engrossing adventure that will leave readers anticipating the next installment."  
   —Publishers Weekly (starred review)

*"Using Hindu mythology as the foundation, Chokshi has created an exciting adventure around a coming-of-age tale. Just as "Percy Jackson" led tweens to a deeper exploration and appreciation of classic Greek mythology, Chokshi's tale will likely inspire a similar demand for traditional Indian mythology. An enthralling start to a series that Riordan fans and anyone in the mood for a high-octane adventure will love."
   —School Library Journal (starred review)

From the Publisher

09/08/2023

Gr 3–7—About to turn 12, Corazon Lopez is ready to learn what magical powers she possesses and begin her training. Corazon is a babaylan, a rare mortal guarding the boundaries between the human world and the realm of spirits. Her constant companion, the wisecracking Saso, is an anito (spirit of mountains, rivers, streams, and trees) who looks like a glowing blue gecko, with powers also yet unknown. Three years ago, when Corazon's parents died, she moved into the magical house of powerful Aunt Tina. Corazon despairs that she only sees her ghostly parents for weekly Saturday visits, with the aid of the soul key her mother left her, and hopes that once her powers reveal themselves, she will find a way to bring her parents back to the mortal world. The Library of Mirrors is where the two worlds collide, and the mirrors there are guarded by the powerful Librarian. When a ghost steals the soul key from Corazon, she learns she must gather blessings to lay the ghost to rest and awaken her own powers. Corazon, Saso, and their ghostly friend, Leo, must overcome seemingly insurmountable obstacles to right the imbalance between the two worlds. An author's note discusses Filipino folklore and the history of babaylans. VERDICT Chokshi's tale weaves Filipino mythology and language throughout this spellbinding fantasy, creating a thoroughly original and heartfelt story of family, grief, and new beginnings.—Michele Shaw

School Library Journal

2023-07-13
An open heart leads a girl to what she needs in this page-turner embedded in Filipino mythology.

Corazon Lopez comes from a family of babaylans, mortals “who guarded the boundaries between the human world and the realm of spirits.” She must wait until her 12th birthday for her powerful magic to awaken so she can be trained by her aunt Tina. Corazon is especially eager to develop the ability to bring her deceased parents back to life instead of just having weekly dinners with their ghosts. Despite the presence of Saso, her anito or spirit companion who takes the form of a small lizard, and being cared for by Tina’s sentient home, Corazon feels lonely. Things take a turn for the worse when Corazon encounters Flordeliza, a vengeful ghost who steals her soul key, a token of powerful magic gifted to her by her mother that is essential to bringing her parents back. Soon the Library of Mirrors that contains portals to the spirit realms shows warning signs of an imbalance between worlds. Corazon, Saso, and their new ghost friend, Leo, must attempt to surmount daunting obstacles before it’s too late in Chokshi’s action-packed quest that balances tragedy and grief with comical antics. Family secrets, folktales, and the cultural diversity of the Philippines add interest to this story that ends on a hopeful note.

A thrilling tale brimming with magic and love. (author’s note, glossary) (Adventure. 9-12)

Kirkus Reviews